Means for delivering train orders



arch 25,; '1924.

E. l.A coTTINGHAM MEANS FOR DELIVERING TRAIN ORDERS Filed April 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES P A T E 'l F F i@ E MEANS FOR DELIVERING TRAIN ORDERS.

Application led April 5, 1923. Serial No. 630,179.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. CorriNG- HAM, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Winnipeg, in the Province of Manitoba and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Delivering Train Orders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description o-f the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The method generally practiced of delivering orders to moving trains is hazardous,

particularly after dark, because of the inability to clearly discern objects and as a result fatalities occur and trains are required to be brought to a stop inorder to recover orders which the crew failed to take up at the station.

The present invention provides means whereby orders may be positively and safely delivered to a moving train without any danger to the operator, since the orders are held in position to be taken up by the engineer and conductor of a moving train by means of an arm which is pivoted to a support and operable from a safe distance or from a point within the station, the orders being illuminated after dark by a light so placed as not to interfere with the signal light or cause any confusion.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and suggest themselves as the nature of the invention is understood.

While the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meetdierent conditions and requirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application:

Figure 1 is a side view of a train order delivery mechanism illustrative of the in- 'vention,

Figure 2 is a detail side view showing the parts on a larger scale,

Figure 3 is an end view, the outer portion of the delivery arm being omitted and shown in section,

Figure 4 is a sectional detail on the line 4 4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a detail view of the outer portion of the delivery arm shown on a larger 4scale and having parts broken away, and

Figure 6 is a sectional detail on the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral l designates a station along the line of railway and 2 is an arm projecting therefrom towards the railroad and provided at its outer end with the usual signal 3 which is operable from a point within the station in the usual way.

In accordance with the present invention, the arm 2 is utilized as supporting means for the delivery arm 4 which is pivoted at 5 to a casting 6 attached to the lower side of the arm 2 and having an extension 7 projecting upwardly through an opening in said arm 2 and having a flexible connection 8, such as a chain or cable, attached thereto and extending to a convenient point within the station 1 for operation when required. A catch 9 within the station is adapted to engage the iiexible connection 8 and support the pivoted arm 4 in horizontal or operative position for delivering orders to the crew of the moving train. A casting 10, secured to the lower side of the arm 2 adjacent the outer end thereof, is grooved in its lower side to receive the arm 4 when elevated and prevent lateral displacement thereof.

The delivery arm 4 is forked at its outer end, the upper forked member being designed to receive the order to be delivered to the engineer and the lower forked member adapted to hold the order to be delivered to the conductor. Each forked member is provided at its outer end with a clip 11 to receive the usual order hook 12, which is detachably held thereby. The outer end 13 of each forked member is pivoted to the inner portion to swing laterally, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 6, and expansive spring means 14 extends across the pivot joint to normally hold the forked member in line with the arm 4 and admit of its yielding either to the right or to the left, according to the direction of travel of the train.

When the flexible connection 8 is disengaged from the catch 9, the delivery arm 4 outer end of the arm 2 is disposed to shed its light outwardly towards the track, thus illuminating the orders without interfering in the least with the signal light.

What is claimed is:

l. VIn train order delivering mechanism, a delivery arm having its outer portion pivoted to swing laterally in each direction, and a spring at the joint to normally maintain the outer portion of the arm in a given position and admit of its movement in each direction and operating to return the same to the predetermined position.

2. Tra-in order deliveryV mechanism com prising a support, a delivery arm pivoted to the support and forked at its outer end and having the outer portions of the forked members pivoted to swing laterally, a spring at the joint of each fork member to maintain the outer' portion thereof in predetermined position, operating means having connection with the pivoted arm for actuating the same, a catch for engaging the operating means to hold the pivoted arm in operative position, and a light disposed upon the support and adaptedV to shed its rays of light upon the train order applied to the delivery arm. Y

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses i W. A. BRowNn,

7. O. VAN ALsTYNn. 

